Toward epidemic-ready, climate-resilient schools, one empowered youth at a time.
In Northern Mindanao, Philippines, young people are proving that climate readiness can be learned, shared, and lived. This is made possible through Jhpiego’s Building Resilient and Aware Voices for Empowerment (BRAVE) Project, which enhances students’ agency to turn classrooms into spaces of hope, learning, and leadership, where conversations about health, climate, and well-being come alive.
In classrooms where laughter once drowned out serious talk about health or the environment, young people are now leading meaningful conversations that could shape their future. They talk about relationships and choices, about anxiety and hope, and about the floods and storms that sweep through their coastal communities.
For them, these issues are not separate. They are deeply connected. The BRAVE Project, implemented by Jhpiego Philippines in partnership with the Department of Education Ozamiz City Division, is helping them understand why.
Northern Mindanao has one of the highest rates of adolescent pregnancy in the Philippines. In 2023 alone, the Philippine Statistics Authority recorded 10,895 cases across the region. This has drawn national attention and has been recognized as a priority concern in regional development discussions.
But behind these numbers are stories of young people who face limited access to information, support, and safe spaces to make informed decisions about their lives. Recognizing that adolescent pregnancy is shaped by social, cultural, and economic forces, Jhpiego and its partners designed a more holistic approach that nurtures resilience, not just awareness.
The Birth of BRAVE
Building Resilient and Aware Voices for Empowerment (BRAVE) is Jhpiego’s youth-focused initiative in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental. It combines reproductive health education, mental health support, and climate change awareness—three issues that deeply influence how young people live and make choices.
Working closely with DepEd Ozamiz City Division, the initiative has set up school-based teen centers in 16 national high schools. These spaces allow learners to seek confidential guidance, counseling, and reliable information about their health and well-being.
Teachers, guidance counselors, and focal persons have been trained in adolescent reproductive health, mental health support, and youth-friendly care. Alongside them, a network of peer educators—students trained to educate and support their classmates—ensures that accurate, stigma-free information circulates within schools.
BRAVE is funded through proceeds from Olivia Rodrigo’s concert in the Philippines last October 2024, a contribution that has turned the energy of music into a movement for youth empowerment.
Health, Climate, and the Power of Play
What sets BRAVE apart is its recognition that resilience grows not only from knowledge but also from creativity and connection. In a country ranked among the world’s most climate-vulnerable, the program helps adolescents see how environmental challenges affect both physical and mental well-being.
To make learning engaging, Jhpiego partnered with Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation (ASSIST Asia), a non-profit organization focused on environment and education, to introduce Master of Disaster, an interactive board game that helps learners understand climate change and disaster preparedness in a fun, relatable way.
Through the game, young people learn teamwork, empathy, and problem-solving skills that are vital during crises and in everyday life. For teachers and guidance counselors, it serves as a creative tool for building emotional resilience while making climate education more meaningful.
Beyond Prevention: Empowerment
For Jhpiego and its partners, success is not only measured by fewer adolescent pregnancies but also by stronger, more confident youth who see themselves as part of the solution.
Through BRAVE, adolescents are finding their voices, speaking up for health, climate action, and mental well-being in their schools and communities. They are learning that empowerment means participation in decisions about their bodies, their environment, and their shared future.
In a region often defined by challenges, BRAVE tells a different story of hope, courage, and leadership. The young people of Ozamiz City are proving that resilience can be taught, but more importantly, it can be lived.
Jaime Bonifacio Jr. is a Program Manager for Jhpiego Philippines and Geri Matthew Carretero is the Communication and Knowledge Management Officer for Jhpiego Philippines.
Ingrid Magnata is the Country Program Manager for Jhpiego Philippines.
